Separation
by AnonymouslyAddicted
Summary: When the world comes to an end. Their world.


**A/N** : Was posted on Tumblr but I was asked to continue and it happened, so I decided it was long enough to be posted as a complete story. Thanks for proofing Holls. Might be a bit OOC, I don't know. Leave comments, please!

* * *

She signed her initials at the bottom of every page, and then she drew her signature at the last page, finalizing their agreement. She looked at him, sitting at the other end of the table, across from her. The man she got to call her husband for so long, practically her entire adult life.

He met her eyes one last time. Those blue eyes he knew so well. They nodded at each other before she slowly rose from her chair and gathered her things. She stopped before leaving, turning to face him again. She removed the rings that adorned her fingers, placing them on the signed document. Silently, she made her way towards the door, leaving him and their marriage behind.

He didn't follow. Not this time. He watched her disappear into the corridor, catching one last glimpse of her blonde curls. He would probably see her again - on TV and on family occasions. But she was officially out of his reach. Gone.

"Do we need to start talking to lawyers?"

"I think we do", he admitted out loud.

Elizabeth gasped, meeting his eyes with tears in hers. "Okay," she nodded. "I will have the papers sent out to you."

Henry nodded. "I will stop by later to pick up my stuff."

He left then, leaving her alone with the understanding that their marriage had come to an end. She buried her face in her hands and the tears began to stream. It took one decision to ruin a lifetime.

* * *

"Babe," Henry called again, stroking her hand and rocking her gently. "Baby, wake up."

She stirred, and he watched as her eyes slowly opened to meet his. The tears still evident on her cheeks, she blinked, taking a moment to remember where she was.

"Hey," he whispered softly.

"Henry," she called and it sounded like a plea.

She glanced at her hand then, her rings still on her finger. She sighed with relief and fresh tears spilled from her eyes.

"Elizabeth, what was the dream about?" He asked, frustrated by her pain.

Large blue eyes met his, and he couldn't help but wince at how vulnerable she looked, how scared.

"You left," she said and he furrowed his brows. "You asked for a divorce. We… we signed the papers. I gave you back the rings. We were over."

Henry's eyes filled with tears then. This dream had its meaning, and he knew it was his doing. He knew that no matter how many times he would reassure her, he still said those things – _you remind me of how I failed; sometimes I can't even look at you._

He took a deep breath before pressing her to the bed with his own weight. "You remind me of so many things, mainly of the man I've become since I met you. I wouldn't have it any other way. We have ups and downs, but baby, we are forever."

Elizabeth blinked her tears and threaded her fingers in his hair, pulling him to her.

"I don't want to live a life where I can't look at you. Look at you when you smile, or when you cry. Watch you when you sleep, when you read. When you're just you." He pressed a tender kiss to her lips and leaned his weight against her.

She wrapped her legs around him, grounding him to her and refusing to let him go anywhere.

"You're not getting rid of me so easily," he whispered in her ear.

Lifting her chin, she opened her mouth, inviting his lips to hers. He took her bottom lip between his a tugged at it gently, before pushing his tongue past her lips. A soft moan vibrated in his mouth, awakening his senses. His kiss became persistent, his lips moving faster and more demanding. He ran his tongue against the roof of her mouth and felt the tug of her fingers on the hairs on his neck. She wanted him closer, and he wasn't about to deny her of that. He moved against her, breathing heavily into her mouth, feeling the quick rise and fall of her chest as his lips sucked on hers. She pulled apart from him to catch her breath, her eyes barely opening to meet his before he kissed her again, slowly and delicately.

"I don't want to. I love you," she said.

He took her hand in his, twisting the bands on her fingers. "Elizabeth, those are yours. They fit _your_ finger."

She nodded, her eyes fixated on her delicate hand, the sapphire that garnished her finger glowed in the dim light of their bedroom. She'd been wearing those rings on her finger for as long as she could remember, mostly because nothing before him meant anything. She couldn't remember how her hand looked without them. She reached for them with her other hand, curious, trying to take them off.

"No," Henry frowned, stilling her.

"But what if…?" Elizabeth asked. _What if you really will leave?_

"Baby, no. Please, I know I said those things… but I…"

"You _yelled_ those things," she muttered and he swore he felt her tremble beneath him, as if his voice scared her.

"I did," he ran his finger on her cheek delicately. "And I am so _so_ sorry."

"I don't want you to apologize for what you _feel_."

Henry sighed loudly. He pressed his forehead to hers and closed his eyes, listening to the beating of his heart.

"What I feel is great love. _For you_."

He watched the tear that formed in the corner of her eye. She blinked, the tear strolling down her cheek. He kissed the tear away, making her close her eyes and sigh.

"If I could take it back, I would," he said.

"So would I," she admitted. If only she could do things differently.

"There are so many things we wish we could do differently, babe. But one thing is for sure: marrying _you_ was the best decision I ever made. Ain't taking that one back."

She nodded. He was right. Life forced them into decisions and actions. But being together, every single day, that was an easy choice.

She pulled him to her and joined their lips in a searing kiss. "Don't ever leave."

"I won't."

* * *

Signing her name for the fifth time, Elizabeth glanced at the document in front of her before handing it back to Blake.

 _Elizabeth McCord_.

Her phone vibrated then, tearing her from her thoughts.

"We do not need to be talking to lawyers. What we need is a bucket of ice cream and a bowl of steamy popcorn. It's just you and me, babe. Just _you and me_."

Elizabeth smiled at the words that appeared on her screen as she read the text from him. She would forever be _Mrs. McCord_.


End file.
